Phosphoinositides are membrane components that play critical regulatory roles in mammalian cells. The enzyme PTEN, which catalyzes the dephosphorylation of the phosphoinositide PIP3, is damaged in most sporadic tumors. Mutations in the PTEN gene have also been linked to autism spectrum disorders and other forms of delayed development. Here, human PTEN is shown to be on the cusp of unfolding under physiological conditions. Variants of human PTEN linked to somatic cancers and disorders on the… CONTINUE READING